Kevin Haggerty, a Brooklyn native and Hunter College graduate, currently residing in Texas, sheds light on the challenges faced by sanctuary cities as they grapple with the consequences of providing shelter and resources to illegal aliens. Amid President Joe Biden’s efforts to deflect responsibility and the support of Republican governors for Texas, one deep-blue city, Denver, Colorado, is taking a different approach.
Unlike New York City’s Mayor Eric Adams, who has shuffled illegal aliens throughout the five boroughs and sought federal funding, Denver has decided to implement a six-week cap for shelters. With an estimated 40,000 illegal aliens in the city, officials plan to limit the duration of migrants’ stays, forcing those exceeding the timeframe out onto the streets starting Feb. 5.
NBC News, in its coverage, highlighted the struggles of a Venezuelan family of five, previously staying in a hotel, facing uncertainty as the looming deadline approaches. The mother expressed concerns about the abrupt eviction, stating, “Just yesterday they started throwing away the toys, the bicycles in the common area. We don’t know where we will go next.”
Denver Mayor Mike Johnston, a Democrat, acknowledged the financial strain caused by the influx of illegal aliens, estimating a bill exceeding $100 million to address the associated costs. Hospitals and schools reported being overwhelmed, with the Denver Public School system witnessing nearly 3,000 alien children, primarily from Venezuela, entering since July 2023.
Adrienne Endres, overseeing the school district’s multilingual education, acknowledged the challenges, stating, “We’ve gotten a lot of new kids really quickly, with a lot of needs.” Despite portraying the situation as an “adventure,” the reality includes classrooms reaching maximum capacity, necessitating student transfers and affecting the quality of education for American students.
Dr. Steven Federico, a pediatrician and chief of government and community affairs at Denver Health, reached out to state and federal agencies for assistance in managing the healthcare needs of the population. The burden has fallen on safety net hospitals like Denver Health, with pediatrician Dr. Kristi Rodrigues noting an increase in cases of chickenpox and parasites.
The impact extends beyond native citizens, affecting legal immigrants like Tip Cordova, a Shell gas station owner, who revealed that the presence of alien encampments had hampered her business by about 50 percent. The broader conservative perspective underscores the challenges faced by cities navigating the consequences of offering sanctuary to illegal aliens, addressing financial strains and potential impacts on healthcare and education.
